Circles Within Circles
by Of Quirky Excellence
Summary: Caroline Amell is a Grey Warden, but she wasn't always. Jowan is a maleificar, but he only did it because he loved her, although he disguised that love as love for another. And when the time came, she saved him, not out of pity, but because she loved him back. Based on a playthrough with Karma's Origin Companions.
1. Chapter 1

**Circles Within Circles**

**By Of Quirky Excellence**

Jowan wiped the tears from his face and swept his black hair back as he stood in awe at the base of the Tower at Lake Calenhad, home to the Circle of Magi. The boy had heard so much about the place from the armored men escorting him, whom he later learned were called Templars.

"_Get that thing away from me, he's an abomination, a monster I tell you!" his mother had said just a few days before. "He set my hair on fire!"_

_The strange man in the armor sighed as he picked Jowan up, fearlessly ignoring the fact that the boy, known to possess fire spells, was very upset, and shushed him. Jowan's cries subsided a little bit but it didn't make a huge difference. "Calm down, miss. He's only a child. He does not yet know how to control his-"_

"_I don't care if this…this… thing can't control his Maker-knows-what! You will get him out of my sight! I never bore him, I say!"_

_The man looked apologetically at the child who now sat quietly in his arms. "Alright, miss. As you wish. Your husband will need to fill out some papers, and then-"_

"_No! Take that abomination out of my sight this instant! He's your problem now!" shouted his mother who was now hysterical. The Templar took a step back in defeat._

_Jowan began to cry as the man carried him away. To this day, he has not seen his mother._

Once the gates opened they walked across a long bridge, and Jowan stayed close to the Templar who'd been the most civil to him, naturally. Once over the bridge the Templar opened a tall reinforced door and they entered a room with two more Templars at another door.

A robed man entered through the door. Jowan did not yet know it, but the closing of the large doors had sealed his fate. He was a Circle mage now. The robed man with a long, grey beard smiled and knelt to Jowan's level and now another Templar who stood taller and prouder than the others accompanied the robed man.

The robed man held out a hand and placed it on the frightened Jowan's shoulder. Jowan sulked back towards the door, but the Templars, in a dutiful manner, stood their ground and Jowan couldn't shake the robed man's grasp on his shoulder now.

"Hello, there, young fellow."said the robed man. He had a very raspy voice.

The child calmed down a bit when the man spoke. "Hullo." He murmured.

"You are six years old, I'd imagine?" asked the robed man.

"Five and a half, ser." Said the Templar who'd led Jowan in.

Jowan nodded.

"Ah. My name is Irving. I am the First Enchanter. What is your name, child?"

"Jowan." The boy said softly.

"Jowan." Irving repeated. "You will be living here now. You've no need to be afraid anymore."

"Unless, of course, you become an abomination." said the proud looking Templar next to Irving.

"Now, Knight Commander, is that any way to speak to a child?" Irving scolded.

"First Enchanter-"

"Greagoir, you needn't frighten the child. His journey has done that already, has it not?"

Jowan laughed nervously. "You're funny. Are you a mage too?"

Irving chuckled at the boy's sudden enthusiasm and the Knight Commander rolled his eyes with disapproval written all over his face. "I am indeed a mage, child. We will have another chance to talk later, I'm sure."

The robed man left the room after he said this, and the Knight Commander beckoned for Jowan to go with him. He followed the Knight Commander up several flights of stairs until they reached a hall. It wasn't long before signs of brilliant life enticed Jowan's mind as he glanced at some gossiping teenaged girls, who all stopped and respectfully bowed their heads as Greagoir walked by, and they all glared at Jowan as if he were a monster. He was quite accustomed to that by now.

When they got to another large door they stopped, and Greagoir opened it. In the room were several young boys. One, a lad around twelve, stood on the top of a bunk bed, one of many, and jumped down quickly just before Greagoir shot him a look. This boy was the first to come over to them.

"New scum, eh, Knight Commander?"

"Anders, why don't you show young Jowan around the dormitories? I have duties to attend to." Said the Knight Commander.

The boy, whose hair was blond and eyes the color of amber, nodded, and the Knight Commander continued. "And when you are through, _you,_ Anders, shall report to the First Enchanter's office."

The other boy laughed mischievously and said, "What'd I do now?"

"I think you know full well what you have done, Anders. I do believe it will result in probation from borrowing books. They are highly flammable _and _very expensive, lad."

Jowan tugged on Anders' robe sleeve and asked, "What does flammable mean?" Anders responded with a flick of his hand, and fire began to tingle between his fingers. Then it was gone, but not before Greagoir saw it.

"Anders, what did I tell you about spell casting in the dormitory without permission from a Templar?"

"Sorry. " Anders shrugged in reply. "He asked me a question and I answered it."

Greagoir rolled his eyes and left the room.

"So these are the boys' quarters. During the day, we lads are able to visit the _girls' _quarters. Wanna take a peek?" Asked the older boy.

"I guess." Said Jowan.

So they took a short walk and soon enough came to another door down the corridor. A few girls around Anders' age giggled when they saw him and hurried away until only one remained. "Hello, _Anders."_ Said the girl. She had blonde hair and it was up in a rather messy ponytail with a few strands hanging down.

"Helena!" Anders cooed as the girl looked down at Jowan. "This is Jowan. He's new."

"Well, good day!"said Helena. "I hear there's a new girl coming in about your age. The Templars went to get her in a village called Lothering, so she'll be here soon. I'm so excited. Did you know Anders has escaped before?"

"You talk too much." Jowan said. Helena laughed.

"You haven't been here long, have you? I know_ all _that goes on around here. _Trust me._" She said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Circles Within Circles Chapter 2**

**By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18**

_**A/N: This chapter is set a few weeks after the first.**_

Caroline eagerly skipped ahead of her Templar escorts. It had been weeks since they'd come to take her away for training, and she had begun to warm up to them, as they had been very kind to her. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair swayed in the cool breeze as she skipped.

"Miss Amell, please hold up. We don't all have your energy!" said the head Templar.

Caroline groaned. "Well hurry up, I wanna see the magic tower!"

"The Tower's not magic, dear child, the people in it are magic just like you, and you will be trained to use your talent properly, and not shoot lightning bolts at people." As he said this, another Templar elbowed him in the side and whispered, "She cannot know."

"Right." Said the head Templar, nodding solemnly.

"_You're sending me away?! I thought you loved me!"_

"_I do, Caroline, now listen-" her mother cried out in pain as a bolt of electrifying shock erupted from the young child's fingers. The Templars had been quick to step in, two swooped on Caroline, put enchanted leather bindings on her wrists to prevent further damage, and took her down the road so she wouldn't see anything. _

_But despite what Caroline was told later, her mother indeed died that day, and nobody had done anything to stop it, not even the Templars, because an angry mage may as well be apostate. And so Caroline was whisked off with the Templars, never to see her home village again._

Once across a long bridge Caroline looked up in awe at the Tower's beauty. When she had taken it all in, she willingly followed the Templars in, with no idea what would be in store in the years to come.

"Hello there, young lady." Said a robed man as they entered the door. "I am First Enchanter Irving, and allow me to be the first one to welcome you to the Ferelden Circle of Magi."

"Can you teach me to be a mage?" Caroline said so enthusiastically that even the Knight Commander had to chuckle.

"You already are, child. Now, if you'll follow Knight Commander Greagoir, he will take you to the girls' dormitories, where you will be living. There's another new apprentice about your age who came in a few weeks ago who I am sure would love to have a friend." Irving said.

"Right. Follow me, dear child." said the Knight Commander as he motioned towards another door. Caroline eagerly followed.

As they made their way down the corridor, a young boy around her age with black hair and blue eyes peeked out from behind an older boy, with blond hair and amber eyes, and a mischievous grin about his face. Caroline smiled at the solemn looking younger boy, and he grinned back timidly before she and Greagoir opened the door to the girls' quarters.

"Here we are. Now, why don't you choose a bunk, and get settled? Helena is one of the older junior apprentices. You should get along well with her, she's delightful. Ask her to show you around, alright?" Greagoir said with a smile as he left.

"So you're the new girl?" said a voice. Caroline whirled around. Standing there was a blonde girl of around twelve years, with a loose ponytail. "The name's Helena. Welcome to the Circle. I'm so excited to meet you! Now maybe you can be my bunk-mate! Ooooh this is so great, you can be like my little sis!"

"I don't wanna be anyone's little sis." Caroline said plainly. The older girl frowned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, _that's _too bad. Look, there's another new kid around here somewhere. He just came in a few weeks back, named Jowan." Said Helena.

"A boy?" Caroline asked simply.

"Of _course_ he's a boy! I did say 'he,' didn't I?" Helena was laughing now and Caroline blushed. "Come on, let's go meet him!" Helena grabbed Caroline's arm and dragged her off to the boys' quarters.

"Jowan!" Helena called as she opened the door and pushed Caroline in. Jowan looked up from the picture book he was looking at of a mage casting fire spells, and his eyes lit up when he saw somewhat familiar faces.

"Yeah?" he said nervously.

"This here's Caroline. She's the one I told you was coming in soon. Make nice with her, okay? She's new like you were a couple weeks ago." Then Helena was gone.

"Hi, Jowan." Caroline offered after a moment of awkward silence between the two children. She extended her hand but he looked at it, a funny expression on his face. "You shake it, silly."

Jowan laughed and his hand met hers and they awkwardly shook for a moment until she let go. "Wanna play tag?" he asked.

She blushed. "Sure."

He reached out quickly and tapped her shoulder, and shouted, "You're it!"

And so, for the first and perhaps last time at the Circle, Caroline and Jowan were happy and untroubled, too absorbed in their childish innocence and love of life to notice how truly wrong their situation actually was, were it not for an event that happened a week later.


	3. Chapter 3

**Circles Within Circles**

**Chapter three**

**By Of Quirky Excellence**

**A/N: Set one week after chapter 2**

"So," Helena said after she returned from her daily lessons. It was an hour before lunchtime, and Caroline and Helena usually took this leisurely time to socialize."Wanna go to the _boys'_ dorms?"

Caroline nodded and said, "I'm sure _Anders_ would like that, wouldn't he?"

Helena giggled at the mention of her crush's name. "Yeah, and you can play tag with Jowan again." Helena cooed. "Let's go!" The older girl opened the large doors and the children exited the girls' dormitories and quickly made their way down the hall.

"Help!" called an echoing voice down the corridor. The owner of the voice turned a corner and nearly crashed into the two girls. They gasped, and poor little Jowan, out of breath from running and shaking violently with fear clung to Caroline. "I've seen a ghost!"

"You only possibility is an abomination and that's highly unlikely." Helena asked, chuckling as Jowan let go of Caroline, still shaking and face pale.

"It looked like a ghost! Or a demon!" he yelped as he began to cry. "It's in the boys' dorm."

"Help!"Cried several boys who sprinted out moments after Jowan had met the girls.. "Get the Templars!" another cried. Anders was among them and he came quickly to Helena, Jowan and Caroline as the other panicking lads ran past them.

"Psh. Boys jumping at their own shadows again." Helena said, still calm and brave. "Anders, get the others to the library, and take these two squirts with you. I'll get to the bottom of this."

"But Helena-" Anders began, fear in his eyes for the first time Caroline could see, but Helena was already sprinting down the corridor, and now three, then four, then five Templars followed, trying to catch the overconfident apprentice.

"You there, miss! Halt! Halt! That is an order!" Then they all disappeared into the boys' dorms. There was silence for but a moment, and then a monstrous roar, and the sound of the Templars drawing their swords. The fighting could still be heard in the library as Caroline and Jowan wept, hiding behind Anders. They both screamed when they heard Helena shriek. Enchanters and more Templars ran past the library and some Enchanters came into the library with the children, including First Enchanter Irving and a few Harrowed Mages, Wynne, young Niall, and Uldred. They kept things under control until there was silence.

After that, all the boys were instructed to stay and sleep in the library that night, and the girls herded back into their dorm and ordered to stay there for the rest of the day. Caroline waited as long as she could for her bunkmate, but Helena never came. Just before the girls and boys had to part ways, Caroline placed a hand on the shoulder of a crying Jowan, and said, "She'll be alright, Jowan. They'll save her, just like they saved my mum."

Anders nearly spoke but Wynne elbowed him gently before he uttered a word. She whispered softly so only Anders could hear, "'Tis better they do not know now, dear Anders."

He scowled, but said nothing. Caroline and Jowan did not find out that year what happened to their friend, but she indeed died that day with the abomination that devoured her and was slain by the Templars.

**A/N: There will be a two year time skip between this chapter and the next. Stay tuned! R&R Please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Circles within Circles**

**Chapter Four**

**By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18**

**A/N: Caroline turns nine in this chapter, Jowan is eight and Anders is fifteen years old, just to eliminate any confusion about their ages.**

Caroline ducked her head as Jowan walked by her hiding place behind the pillar of a bunk bed in the girls' quarters. She suppressed a giggle as he absently strolled past her without even so much as a glance in her direction. Anders winked at her from his hiding place, high in the rafters. He had climbed up there off one of the bunk beds. It was low enough that he could do so, and high enough so the Templars and senior mages wouldn't notice, which would result in him being lectured on reckless behavior and safety.

It was also, however, low enough so he could jump down without injuring himself if he landed properly, and Anders knew this because he'd done this several times before, unbeknown to Jowan, who walked right under him. As Jowan walked past, Anders swung down and jumped to the ground and landed behind his friend, when Jowan turned around, startled by the _thump, _and he shouted, "Boo!"

Jowan cried out in a panic and Anders nearly fell to the ground laughing_."The look on your face!"_ he cried out with delight in his voice. _"Priceless!" _

Caroline frowned as she came out from her place behind the bunk bed, and looked, a scolding gleam in her eyes, at Anders, who stopped laughing when he'd seen her face.

"What?" he asked innocently, almost an angelic tone in his voice.

"That's so mean, Anders! You have to say sorry!" she cried.

"Don't be such a girl! It's just a joke!" he replied. There was a slight hint of impatience in Anders' voice as if he wanted to continue their game of hide and seek before they had to return to history lessons.

Jowan took Caroline's side, naturally. "She's right, Anders. That wasn't fair, nor was it nice." He scolded.

Anders sighed, and Caroline and Jowan looked expectantly at him. "Go on." Caroline urged."Say it."

"Alright, alright, kiddies." Anders said, still teasing. Caroline shot him a dirty look." Alright. I'm sorry Jowan."

"It's fine." Said the younger boy. "Just don't do it again."

A few days later, on her ninth birthday, Caroline went for her very first spellcasting lesson. When the mage who'd taught her the History of the Chantry, Fereldan and the Circle came, she was more than thrilled, and Jowan was the first one she told. He was not amused.

"No fair." He pouted. "You'll be able to cast spells and I won't!"

Karl, the laid back Harrowed mage who was no older than eighteen or nineteen at the time, placed a steady hand on Jowan's shoulder.

"You'll get there in good time, lad. She tested higher in her knowledge of spells than you did, which is alright. She _is_ older and you're both still very young. Be patient. Once you can complete your drill on healing spells and Chantry Law with no faults, we'll start some casting classes with you as well. For now, keep your chin up, and do your best, boy. Your time will come."

And so on their was to the library Caroline bombarded Karl with enthusiastic inquiry.

"So what kind of spells will I get to cast? Lightning sounds fun-"

Karl cut off Caroline's zealous chatter, and laughed as he told her, "Take it easy, we're only doing ice today, in small amounts to start."

In the library was a table surrounded by some chairs. On the table sat a single glass of water.

"Now, Caroline," Karl said as he sat down in the chair across from the cup. "Sit in the chair close to the cup and look at the water."  
Caroline trustingly obeyed the instructions as they were given." Now what?" she said, not taking her eyes off the water in the cup.

"Hold out your hands. Channel your energy, your mana, I should say, into your hands. If they begin to shake it's alright. Now think cold, colder, good….I see condensation, now think frozen."  
As she did this, she began to feel a tingling sensation in her palms to the tip of her fingers, and they felt very cold. She looked up from the cup for the first time and at Karl's face. He was calm. All of a sudden, the tingling and chills stopped, and she felt an overwhelming weakness sweep over her and she began to sweat. "What just happened?" she asked, obvious fear in her voice. What she didn't know was that she had just used her mana to cast her first intentional spell!

Karl remained calm and motioned towards the cup with his head. "Look." Then he began to get more excited. "Normally it takes much longer the first cast. You are gifted. The First Enchanter will hear of this, you are the youngest mage to ever complete this test. Normally those who complete it are at least twelve!"

And as Caroline looked down at the cup, she grinned as she realized the water was frozen solid.


	5. Chapter 5

**Circles Within Circles Chapter Five**

**By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18**

"What do you mean, _gone?"_ Caroline asked Jowan as they made their way down the corridor.

"He's gone!" Ten year old Jowan told her. "I woke up and he wasn't there, and I looked everywhere, and he's nowhere to be found!"

"We'd better tell the First Enchanter. The door to his office is closed, so we probably should knock."

"You do it," Jowan said, sucking back as they neared Irving's office. "What if he's arguing with Greagoir again?"

"Things will settle down when we come in." Caroline said as she tapped the reinforced wooden door a few times.

"Who comes?" asked the First Enchanter.

"We have an emergency, ser. Please let us in." Caroline said, as calmly and sweetly as she could. Her persuasion skills had increased a great deal over the years, and she was silver-tongued enough to sway just about anyone, mage or Templar.

"Come in, child." Caroline opened the door. Irving was at his desk and his face was red, as if he'd just been shouting. The Knight Commander was standing nearby, refusing eye contact with either child. Caroline had learned early on that he liked to keep a distant relationship with all the mages. She didn't know why. Yet.

"Oh, Caroline! Jowan! What seems to be the problem my dear children?" Irving asked. He looked at Caroline when the two children exchanged glances, silently debating on who would do the talking. He smiled reassuringly at Caroline, whom he had been very proud to announce earlier that day was now a senior apprentice due to her outstanding skills at elemental magic.

The Knight Commander looked up from his feet curiously at the children. "Well, go on, children."

Caroline blushed, bowing her head respectfully. She nudged Jowan and he began. "Anders is gone, ser."

"Are you certain, child?" Greagoir raised an eyebrow, now very much interested in the conversation. He eyes the two young mages suspiciously.

Irving chuckled. "Did you check the women's quarters? You know how he is."

Greagoir shot him a look.

"No, ser, I have been moved to the senior quarters, as you know, and I haven't seen him there or anywhere else all day." Caroline said politely.

"Alright." Greagoir said. "Jowan, when did you last see Anders? I'm not sure how much you know, young man, but in his sixteen years Anders has already escaped six times! His escapes before this one were all before he was ten, but his time, his consequences will be more severe than ten lashes."

Jowan's face looked then as if he'd just been slapped. "You mean, whipping him? Why?"

His question reflected his pureness and innocence so much that even the hardened Knight Commander gave a depressed sigh to accompany his saddened features.

"Escaping is a disgraceful thing to do, Jowan. If he were older when he'd committed these crimes he would be far worse off." Said the Knight Commander. "Now, when did you last see Anders."  
Jowan was crying now, and Caroline stepped forward. "Please ser, let me answer. Jowan told me he last saw Anders last night at curfew, when all the apprentices parted ways to go to bed. Anders obeyed the curfew as far as we know, ser."

She then turned to Jowan, her deep, teary blue eyes speaking volumes. He nodded and muttered his thanks under his breath.

The First Enchanter stood, placing a hand on each child's shoulder, and said, "Very well, children. The two of you have done a very good thing today. You needn't worry about your friend. When he is caught he will not be informed of who told us he escaped. Thank you, and you are dismissed."

As the two left the First Enchanter's office, Caroline turned to face Jowan and she burst into tears. "We shouldn't have told!" she cried.

Jowan blinked away his own tears, then he hugged Caroline tightly. It was all he could do to comfort her. "I knew we couldn't leave, but why would anyone want to hurt Anders?" he asked.

"I feel like a terrible friend! This isn't right, Jowan, it was my idea to tell. This is all my fault!" Caroline said, sobbing into Jowan's shoulder.

Weeks went by and nothing was heard about Anders' whereabouts or condition.

Then, one winter morning, a few days before Satinalia, Jowan spotted Templars on the bridge out the window of the Library where he and his class had been decorating for the great holiday. There were five figures on the bridge, but one was certainly not a Templar, or at least not from what Jowan could see. He interrupted the other two boys and the girl. "Look! Look!" he cried excitedly. "Templars on the bridge!"

This was an unusual occasion for all the children, because since mages never left the tower, (for the most part) there was rarely a soul on the one bridge connecting the tower with the rest of Fereldan.

The other three children crowded the window.

Karl, who was reciting a part of the Chant of Light while the children had been working, grabbed Jowan by the collar of his robes. "You're disrupting the class, lad!"

"But, but, Karl, it could be Anders! Maybe they finally found him, ser!" Jowan said, struggling to free himself from Karl's firm grasp.

Karl frowned. He looked at the other boys and the girl, who were now awkwardly staring at him and Jowan. "The rest of you are dismissed. Jowan," he released Jowan when the boy tried to bite his hand. "Easy there, lad. I think I overreacted a bit, yes?"

Jowan nodded. It was rare that Karl showed compassion, and Jowan was no fool. "Anders is my friend, ser." Said the boy, eyes pleading.

"I understand that, lad, but he has become a frequent escapee from the Circle, and the Chantry frowns upon that. Poor lad's too rebellious for his own good. A poor example for you and your younger friends to follow. "

"I'm sorry, ser. He used to be my bunkmate in the junior apprentices' quarters." Jowan explained. Karl frowned again.

"He'll likely spend Satinalia in the dungeon, poor lad."

Jowan's eyes widened. "The dungeon? I don't like the idea of that."

Karl looked square into the boy's blue-grey eyes and said, "Know this, if you abide by the laws of the Chantry you will never end up there. If you don't, consider it a second home. The Chantry is strict for a reason, Jowan, and I fear for you and every other mage-child I teach. I was just like Anders once. A spell in the dungeon opened my eyes. Now, I'm a teacher, and I enjoy life. There's not much danger to teaching apprentices, except getting your hair set on fire, of course." The man chuckled, and so did Jowan.

"And one more thing before I dismiss you, dear boy. Stick with Caroline Amell. She is a good friend as well as a skilled mage. Nice to have around, you know?"

Jowan nodded and turned to leave.

As Caroline was trotting along, carrying her books back towards the library, out of the very corner of her eye she spotted two Templars in the First Enchanter's office. Between the two armored men stood a shorter figure with strawberry blond hair and tattered robes, hands bound behind his back. Caroline had no doubt who this was.

"Anders!" She cried, " Where've you been, you crazy apostate!" Everyone looked at her in shock as she ran to Anders, hugging him despite the fact he couldn't hug him back if he'd wanted to. The Templars moved to intervene, but nobody would pry her arms from around the sixteen year old. He stood in shock now, still weary from a long journey but very much surprised by his friend's sudden appearance. He looked down at her as he was quite a bit taller and she looked up at him, sobbing.

Knight Commander Greagoir stood next to Irving and he frowned at the scene the young mage girl was making.

"Let him go, Caroline! Let us explain a few things to you." Irving said, as he was the only one in the room calm enough to actually speak.

Anders shot him an angry, defiant look. "Yes. " He said, smugly, "Tell her the truth about the injustice of the Circle and the Chantry's law." He looked Irving in the eye stubbornly.

Irving frowned. "Be _silent_, young man." He said sternly.

Caroline now stood in between Anders and the two Templars who'd been holding onto his arms but let go in the commotion.

"You cannot hurt him!" she cried. "He's my friend!" Anders smiled, but if looks could kill, the expression on Greagoir's face would have made Anders' heart stop then and there.

"Be calm, Caroline. You needn't worry." Anders said, shocking everyone in the room. Caroline turned around again to face her friend.

"Why? They'll hurt you." She cried, tears now pouring down her cheeks.

"No. Even they know better than that. Pain doesn't faze me. They're holding me in solitary confinement for two weeks. It's what they do to most adults who commit minor crimes." Anders said, with almost a hint of pride in his voice.

"That's where you're wrong, mage." Greagoir barked. "Allow me to correct you. Your sentence is fixed for _children _who commit _major _crimes." He had a hint of annoyance in his voice. "But given the amount of times you've escaped, I still do not know why Irving spares you the Brand still."

Caroline gasped at the slang for tranquility. _It's not like he hurt anyone! Why would they make him tranquil? _Caroline asked herself.

Irving spoke up while Caroline was deep in thought.

"Anders is still so young." He said. "It wold be a waste of potential and I fear other apprentices would revolt, as Anders is well-liked for the most part. So unless blood magic gets involved or if he hurts anyone innocent, he is spared the Brand."

"What's blood magic?" Caroline asked innocently.

Greagoir shot Irving a look.

"Erm…A lesson for another day." Said the First Enchanter.

"Miss Amell, please return to your quarters. Greagoir told her firmly. Caroline knew it was now the time to argue. She turned back to Anders and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry Anders. I've been a fool." She said through her tears. He looked her in the eye as she released him and as the Templars led him away, he continued to look back at her, not looking where he was going and this caused him to stumble. Caroline gasped but he appeared unhurt as the Templars tugged him up roughly. "

"What do you mean, Caroline? You're not to blame!" He called, the fall not stopping him from looking back. Caroline sobbed harder and harder and tried to follow but was held back by Irving and Greagoir.

_How wrong he was._

**A/N: Argueably, Caroline and Jowan had nothing to do with Anders' capture, but as the narrator, I see into Caroline's head a little, lol. So the last line is basically Caroline's thoughts, to clear anything up. J Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think! J**


	6. Chapter 6

**Circles Within Circles**

**Chapter 6 By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost 18**

**A/N:In this chapter Caroline is eighteen, Jowan is seventeen and Anders, who has escaped again but will be mentioned much later in the story is 23.**

**Thanks for reading, enjoy! (I split this chapter due to Microsoft Word Freezing and me losing half the chapter. Will re-type the other half as the next chapter)**

"So when do you think they'll call you for your Harrowings?" Karl asked Caroline and Jowan as he led them into the training quarters of the library for a spellcasting lesson. Anders was on one of his escapes, although due to previous incidents, the apprentices had been told he had been transferred to Kirkwall's Circle in the Free Marches, but Jowan and Caroline now bore resemblance to mature adults. Jowan's raven-black hair now fell just above his shoulders and Caroline's dark brown locks swayed when she walked, just past her shoulders. She wore it down, rather than in pigtails like she once had, and they each now wore the blue, violet and yellow senior apprentice robes.

"I don't know, but the way Irving treats me you'd think I'd have been Harrowed the moment I'd turned sixteen!" Caroline said with a bubbly laugh that reflected her mood.

Jowan's eyes narrowed at her well-meant boast. "I can only wish to say the same."

Karl patted the younger apprentice's shoulder. "Everybody learns at their own pace, Jowan. Mages are rarely Harrowed before they're eighteen, but often much later. Caroline, let's warm up with some of your ice spells." Karl walked over to a table, and retrieved the mug of water that had been there.

"I'm going to throw the water from this mug towards you and you will use Winter's Grasp to freeze it before it hits you or the ground."

"Right." Caroline inched forward confidently, ready to cast her spell. Jowan stepped back. Karl tossed the water out of the cup and into the air. Before it was halfway to the ground it was a shard of ice. Caroline grinned with pride as the ice hit the ground and shattered.

"Very good, Caroline!" Karl remarked, nodding. "Now, Jowan, I'm going to set a small fire and you are going to use Cone of Cold to put it out. Remember, that the key to this spell is _control. _Use your will."

Jowan nervously protested."Cone of Cold? Are you sure, Karl? You know what happened last time-"

"You must master ice as well as fire if you are to become a well-rounded mage, yes?" Karl said.

Jowan bowed his head as Karl walked back to the table and cast a fire spell to a small pit in the floor used to train mages without much hazard.

Caroline took a step back as Jowan stepped up nervously.

"You've got this, Jowan!" She encouraged him. He lifted his hands level with his chest and the icey breeze formed, his fingers tingling. He smiled proudly, but the spell wouldn't reach the fire. Instead, it spiraled out of control and it pulled Jowan to the ground in utter and humiliating defeat. Karl quickly dispelled the breeze before it caused any damage, but not before a group of apprentices about Caroline's age who were walking by happened to see the result of Jowan's failed ice spell. Caroline ignored their chuckles and unspoken threats to her popularity as she rushed to help her friend up. She took Jowan's hand and pulled him to his feet, and she looked from the sneering apprentices to his blue-grey eyes sympathetically. "Are you alright?" She asked over the sneering and obnoxious laughter.

He nodded. Then a voice called over the laughter, "You can't cast Cone of Cold? That's such an easy spell!" jeered Jonathan, an outspoken troublemaker who was, like Anders, very proud, but not as well meaning.

Jowan frowned. "Don't listen to him, Jowan." Caroline warned. "He's nothing but trouble."

"You can't hide behind your prodigy friend there forever!" Jonathan said, chuckling.

The other apprentices got quiet when Jowan walked towards Jonathan, his intentions clear to this crowd led by their eldest, who often made fun of him.

Caroline stood still; debating whether helping a friend was worth the lash, and the shame.

"You sure ache for trouble, don't you? Leave us alone, or else." Jowan said softly. Karl stood in shock, not sure what would become of this encounter.

"Lads, surely there's no need for trouble?" he asked.

Ignoring Karl, Jonathan stepped a few inches closer to Jowan, now they were three feet away from each other. "What are you gonna do, set my hair on fire?"

"Why bother? You're just mad I beat you at arm wrestling." The apprentices gasped now. Caroline now stood behind Jowan, and the rest of Jonathan's group stood behind him. "I'm more than happy to best you again. I'll admit that when magic's involved, you're stronger, but we all know which mage can throw a better punch."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Caroline interrupted, trying to get between Jowan and his long-time rival, but failing, as they ignored her attempts to break the confrontation up. "No need for this, gentlemen!"

"You're on. I accept your challenge." Jonathan said with a smug grin. Jowan readied himself.

"Whoa, you two need to calm down." Karl said authoratively. He pushed past Caroline and put a hand on his student's shoulder and said, "Think about what you're doing Jowan."

"I am." Jowan said as Jonathan postured for a fight. Jowan shook Karl off. "And this…"

He threw a punch, and it hit its mark, Jonathan's jaw.

"Proves my point!"

The apprentices, minus Caroline, stepped back. Caroline tried to hold Jowan back but he threw her from his arm and she fell to the ground. Karl helped her up and shouted for the Templars. Jowan threw another punch that hit the other apprentice in the eye, and Jonathan dodged a kick below the belt. Jowan went for the face again, but then he saw it. The ice spell Jonathan had been preparing was let loose, and an icicle landed square in his shoulder.

"Coward!" Jowan called out in a desperate attempt to hide how painful the impact had been. The shard of ice, similar to the water Caroline had frozen moments ago pierced his robes and his flesh.

"Who's the real man now, dim-wit?" Jonathan, who now had a black eye and a badly bruised cheek and jaw, pinned Jowan to the ground and punched him several times before Caroline sprang into action, shoving her self through the growing crowd of apprentices and throwing all of her weight onto Jonathan's back and pulling him off her friend, who was dazed and bleeding, but conscious.

She shoved Jonathan to the ground and punched him three times until he stopped struggling. A Templar stood in the doorway, looking rather flabbergasted. He had blond, curly hair and a bit of stubble. Caroline had seen him around. A new recruit, she assumed.

He grinned sheepishly as she looked up at him, and lifted his hand to waist-level. His thumb was up, gesturing a job well done. Caroline's pride didn't save her from being whisked away by what seemed like a horde of Templars, along with Jowan, who was clutching his wound. Jonathan was kept further back, restrained by two older Templars. Caroline and Jowan willingly followed the Templars into the First Enchanter's office. The door was shut behind them and an older Templar explained what had happened to the First Enchanter and the Knight Commander.

"This one's the one who started it, sers." Said the templar, motioning towards Jowan. "The other lad wasn't threatenin' him or anything, but he must've said somethin' to upset this one an' the girl."

"Jonathan, as the eldest, what say you on the matter of these…shenanigans? " said the Knight Commander, looking coldly between the three apprentices.

"Well, for one thing, he ought to volunteer to be made Tranquil. Wouldn't use magic, not even to defend himself, ser."

Jowan frowned, but found himself blushing at the same time. "Not true!" Caroline jumped in again to defend her friend's honor. "Jonathan started the whole thing, and he used _magic_!"

"_We are mages, are we not?"_ Jonathan sneered under his breath.

"Oh?" Irving tilted his head curiously. "You speak out of turn, dear. But go on. Tell your side of the story, as Jonathan is not known for his honesty, and you are quite the contrary."

Caroline nodded, fighting back tears. "He was making fun of Jowan's spellcasting. He ought to be taught a lesson. Jowan made a point that ice spells are not his strong point, but he can beat Jonathan in almost anything that involves muscle. Then Jonathan took it as a challenge and they started punching each other, but then Jonathan cast an ice spell. "

"Foul play, wouldn't you say so?" Jowan added. Jonathan shot him a look, and the two young men stared at each other for a moment, then they looked to Greagoir.

"That's enough. Caroline, who threw the first punch?" said the Knight Commander.

Caroline looked from Jowan to Jonathan. She dared not lie. "It was…Jowan. But he was only defending his honor, ser."

"I see." Greagoir said. "Jowan didn't cast a spell, I understand?"

"Correct, ser." Caroline said.

"Very well. That lessens his punishment a great deal." Irving said calmly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Circles within Circles**

**Chapter 7**

**By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18**

**A/N: Direct continuation of the last chapter.**

"The two of you," began the Knight Commander, staring critically at Jowan and Caroline. "Will have to sweep the corridors and the apprentice's quarters for one hour each day for two weeks once Jowan is well of his wound. And you, Jonathan, will be sentenced to the dungeon for one month. Fighting with other apprentices is inexcusable, but using magic to settle a minor dispute is _unspeakable! Downright shameful."_

Jonathan looked angrily from the Knight Commander over to Jowan, and sneered when the younger apprentice squirmed at his eye-contact before he was led away.

"Knight Commander, First Enchanter, a word, if you may?" Jowan asked nervously.

Irving and Greagoir glanced at each other and Greagoir shrugged. Irving nodded. "Go ahead, Jowan."

"Caroline shouldn't be punished, ser. She was only trying to stop me from doing something I would regret, but I did it anyway. If you'll allow it, I'd like to take her punishment for her. She doesn't deserve it. I'll sweep for four weeks instead of two."

"Jowan, it's fine," Caroline said softly, but her friend shushed her and Irving and Greagoir went off into the corner of the room and discussed the matter in private.  
"Are you sure about it, Jowan? I don't mind sweeping. Maker knows the corridors need all the help they can get." Caroline whispered.

Chuckling, Jowan nodded. "True, but it's a shameful job and everyone knows it's a punishment. You, for one, should not be punished for my mischief."

"Alright, you two." Greagoir spoke up as he and the First Enchanter walked back towards the two apprentices.

"Jowan, we have agreed your terms are acceptable. Both of you are dismissed. Caroline, will you take him to the infirmatory?" Irving requested.

"Of course I will, First Enchanter, thank you." Caroline smiled meekly and she and Jowan walked slowly out, closing the large door behind them and headed down the corridor towards the infirmatory.

"I really hope Wynne's not on duty." Jowan mumbled.

Caroline laughed. "Right? As nice as she can be, she'll preach to you about how 'violence is frowned upon in the eyes of the Maker.'"

"I bet she's giving Jonathan the speech about magic serving man and not ruling over him in the dungeon as we speak!" Jowan said.

"You jest!" Caroline giggled. "But if it were true, then maybe we wouldn't have to see her now!"

"How long would that put it off, I wonder?" Jowan said with a smirk. As they approached the door, Caroline opened it and gestured for Jowan to go in first.

Jowan nodded his thanks and walked in. Caroline shut the door behind them and followed him into the wing.

"Maker's breath!" said the healer as she saw Jowan's wound. "What happened?" She stood up from the crying six-year-old boy with a skinned knee she was tending to.

"I…" Jowan paused as the child looked up at him. He blushed, feeling like a fool. "I am hurt."

"Well I can see that, dear!" the healer said, chuckling at his bluntness. "Ah, Caroline! What a surprise!" Caroline stepped out from behind Jowan.

"Good day, Hilda! Congratulations on passing your Harrowing!" she greeted the newly Harrowed Spirit Healer.  
"Thanks Caroline! Now, Jowan, tell me what happened." Hilda inquired.

"Jonathan cast an icicle at me…" he mumbled, blushing again.

"Oh, my!" She cooed as she got a closer look at the wound on his shoulder. "Looks like he got you good. I hope they smited him down, the fiend!"

The three mages chuckled. "He's in the dungeons now, but Jowan threw in a few good punches before the Templars could do anything." Caroline said when the laughing ceased.

"Good. Jonathan's nothing but trouble. Ought to get the Brand." Whispered Hilda so the young child on the cot could not hear.

"That's not funny!" Caroline interjected. For what little she did know of the Rite of Tranquility, she knew the slang word for it was used by mages because the Tranquil had slightly visible Chantry symbols tattooed…or something, onto their foreheads.

"Anyway, sit down, Jowan, this should only take a moment." Hilda broke the awkward silence after Caroline's interruption of Hilda's joke.

Jowan sat down on the cot closest to the door and Hilda healed him quickly, her spell making a low buzzing noise, then disappearing into Jowan's broken flesh and mending it.

"There now." Hilda said, patting Jowan on the back. "Try not to get into any more fights." She winked and added in a whisper, "Until Jonathan gets out, at least."

As the two apprentices said their thanks to Hilda and walked out of the clinic, Caroline was not prepared for what Jowan said to her on their way back to the apprentices' quarters.

"Caroline, I met a girl earlier today." He said softly to his friend so no passerby would overhear.

"Oh?" She said, a little bit surprised. "Who is she?"

"Let's…just say it's not a normal relationship. Not at all." He told her, blushing.

"The idea of her thinking I was weak motivated me to defend my pride." Jowan said sheepishly.

"Oh. I see how it is_._"

_ But how little Caroline knew of how things really were._


	8. Chapter 8

**Circles Within Circles Chapter 8**

**By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18**

Caroline sighed as she finished up an ice spell she'd been focusing on, and her energy weakened, and eventually the spell's effects wore off the basin full of water. _What a pointless exercise._ She thought to herself. Karl nodded his approval and she gathered her books, exiting the training room without a word.

"Nice work in there, Amell." Said a voice as she shut the door and entered the hall to the apprentices' quarters. She turned around to see Cullen, a newly Knighted Templar who'd been very conversational with her after she'd broken up the fight between Jowan and his rival, Jonathan. Cullen had been recently transferred to the tower from Denerim, Fereldan's capitol. **  
**Caroline smiled.

"Thanks Cullen." She now walked alongside him casually. "Have you seen Jowan? He was supposed to introduce me to someone after my training session."

"Erm, no." Cullen said. "You might find him in the library but I haven't seen him today."

"Heh," she paused. "He seems to have been keeping himself rather busy lately."

"I suppose that's a good thing," Cullen chuckled. "So long as he's not preoccupied from his studies."

"You Templars are all the same." Caroline said, jokingly.

Cullen smiled. "We try." He then met up with a few Templar recruits and walked off with them. Caroline was exhausted from studying and training, so after a little bit of leisurely reading, she drifted off to sleep in her bunk, deciding that Jowan could wait until she was more well rested in the morning.  
She had quite a difficult time falling asleep that spring night, unsure whether or not someone was watching her. It sure felt like it, making her feel rather uncomfortable. Soon enough, however, her lack of mana and energy won over her nervousness, and sleep finally came.

She awoke with a start at around midnight. "Caroline, Caroline, wake up!" a hushed voice whispered. It was not necessary as she nearly jumped into a sitting position, and found Cullen standing at her bedside, his armor gleaming in the light of the candle he held.  
"It is time." He said, his voice cracking nervously. More confidently he added, "The day of your Harrowing has come." Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"Are _you_ testing me, Cullen?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm here to escort you to the Harrowing Chamber. "

Caroline's eyes darted down. _There was no way her skills were going to be tested dressed in her nightclothes. _She blushed. "I have time to get dressed, right?" she asked modestly.

"Um, I suppose you do. I'll, uh, wait outside. Just, don't speak to any other apprentices and try not to wake anyone." He said nervously.  
_Who would want to be awake at this hour anyhow?_ She thought suspiciously. "Right." She said, halfheartedly. It was sinking in now. Those who failed their Harrowings were never seen again. Jonathan, the boy Jowan had gotten into a fight with weeks ago was rumored to have failed. She knew nothing of his fate, but she did know he was no longer bullying anyone.

She grew fearful as she slipped into her robes, wondering what had happened to Jonathan. Although she bore no love for him, she wished the other mage no ill-will.

"Miss Amell?" Cullen knocked lightly on the door of the washroom she was in. "Are you almost ready?"

"Yes," she said, running a wooden comb through her hair. "One moment please."Then she threw some cold water on her face and opened the door. "I'm ready." She smiled nervously at Cullen, who was blushing, and she wondered why.

"The time has come, my child, to test your skill. Your Harrowing shall be given tonight." The First Enchanter said as Cullen led the apprentice into the large chamber. Another Templar stood near the oldest mage, along with Knight Commander Greagoir. There was a pedestal with a pool of what looked like Lyrium in it sitting in the center of the round chamber. Caroline raised an eyebrow when she was it and took a few more steps into the room. Cullen took his place with the other Templar.

"I don't understand why this is such a big secret." Caroline said, confusion evident in her voice.

"You'll see in time, dear one." Irving said as Caroline stopped near him.

Those in the room stood at attention as the First Enchanter spoke. "You will be entering the Fade, the realm of a demon, armed only with your will, and your ability to resist temptation and corruption shall be put to the test."

"Should you succeed, you are not to speak of the Harrowing to any mage who has not undergone it." Greagoir ordered.

"And if I fail?" she glanced back at the door, which the helmed Templar had shut when they had entered. Cullen sighed loudly, and she shot him a reassuring, yet slightly nervous smile.

"You will become an abomination, and we will be forced to slay you." Greagoir said, not making eye contact with Caroline.

Her heart sank. _So it was true._ She felt the color leave her face.  
She hesitated, "Is…there no other option?" she asked weakly.

"Your magic is a gift but it is also a curse. There _is_ the Rite of Tranquility." Greagoir offered. The young mage gulped. She'd seen Owain, the stock room manager. He was so…empty.

"Ah, but that would be a waste of talent. Miss Amell, you are very skilled, more than you may realize. Every mage must go through this trial by fire. As we succeeded, so should you." Irving assured her.

Caroline nodded. "Lyrium? " She guessed out loud as the First Enchanter turned towards the pedestal.

Irving nodded. "The very essence of magic. We will use it to send you into the Fade."

"Prepare yourself." Greagoir said dutifully.

Irving placed a hand on the apprentice's shoulder. "A demon lurks within this realm. Trust nothing but your will, and you will be alright. Good luck."

"Irving," the Knight Commander said, sounding slightly annoyed. "The apprentice must undergo her Harrowing _**alone. **__You __**are **__ready, Miss Amell?"_

"I suppose so." She said, trying to sound confident.

As she placed her hand near the Lyrium it glowed, and when she touched it the liquid slipped through her fingers but the silvery glow remained. _Maybe Tranquility would have been a better choice._ She thought. She quickly reconsidered as the image of Owain flashed in her head. _No!_ She had too much _pride_ to be seen like that. She just hoped her pride wouldn't get in the way.

**A/N: Sorry for such a long wait. I personally love how the ending ties into the end of the Harrowing. I can't wait to see how this story turns out!**


End file.
